Tight-knit and focused, Carmel girls tennis eyes state final

Carmel's Kiersten Carlson will help lead the Greyhounds toward state finals. Here, she shakes hands with an opponent before sectional finals on Thursday, May 18, 2017.(Photo11: Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar file photo)Buy Photo

GREENWOOD – The Carmel girls tennis team sat together on a bench Friday afternoon, watching as state quarterfinals wrapped up. The Greyhounds had already punched their ticket to the final, but they all had their eyes glued to the court, erupting in cheers as the No. 1 doubles team scored in the third set.

They were laughing and talking, sitting in the tie-dye shirts they made together earlier this season.

They certainly didn’t look like a group nervous to face No. 2 Cathedral (18-1) Saturday morning in a rematch of last year’s state quarterfinal match, in which the Irish dashed the team’s hopes of a fourth-straight title en route to winning one of their own.

Socializing can be hard for players in a sport that is so individualized. Nerves can easily creep into the picture.

Don’t tell Carmel this. The top-ranked Greyhounds (17-0) don’t know. Or maybe they do, and just don’t care. Regardless, it might just be the key to their success.

“It helps that we’re close off the court, because on the court you want to cheer for your best friends,” said Carmel’s No. 2 singles player Kiersten Carlson.

Tennis is a year-round sport, and the high school season can provide a much-needed reprieve from the pressure of the competition during the rest of the year. Not because the competition is any weaker, but because they’re with their friends.

“Playing in high school is so much more fun,” said Zoe Woods, who won in straight sets at No. 3 singles over Terre Haute South. “Individually, tennis can get boring and routine. During high school season, you love being with your friends and want to do better.”

There are 56 players on the three Carmel tennis teams. They were all at Center Grove. They ride ATVs, go to dinner together and have dance parties in the locker room.

“All the girls on the court are really likeable. It’s natural instinct to want to get close as a team,” said Cece Katz, who plays No. 2 doubles for the Greyhounds. “On the first day, none of us knew each other's names other than the girls from last year. We make the effort to learn everyone’s names and what they like to do.”

There’s no shortage of competitive fire despite the fun-loving attitudes on the roster. That will be tested Saturday.

“We haven’t talked about regaining our place at all,” Carmel coach Spencer Fields said of seeking revenge for last year’s loss in the finals. “It’s not something people are in tune with. This team (has) its own individuals.”

On the other side, Cathedral coach Mark Noe knows his team is up for a challenge. His team dropped a regular season match 3-2 to the Greyhounds.

“It’s going to be an epic match,” he said after his team’s 4-1 win over Fort Wayne Carroll. “Both teams have been preparing for this second meeting. It should be a lot of fun.”

Both teams return just three of their seven players that met last year. The Irish don’t have a single senior on the varsity roster and have freshmen at No. 2 singles and No. 1 doubles.

“We’ve got some young people, but we try to keep them focused on the match,” Noe said. “But how can you not savor the moment? It’s a state championship match.”

The winner between Carmel and Cathedral will face either Providence (20-0) or South Bend St. Joseph (24-1) in the final. Providence won 3-2 over Center Grove and South Bend St. Joseph won 3-2 over Jasper in the other quarterfinal matches.